Acupuncture and acutone for stress reduction in nursing professionals: pilot study

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture and acutone in reducing perceived stress in nursing professionals. Method: Pilot study, randomized clinical trial of non-inferiority, with three arms – acupuncture; acutone; and control – and simple (statistical) blinding, carried out with nursing professionals, in three hospitals in Santa Catarina. A protocol of eight sessions (2 per week; lasting 30 min) was used, involving five acupoints – K3, ST36, SP3, GB34, SP60 – called Shu points, which have corresponding musical notes and relationship with the endocrine system. Stress levels were measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PBS) and Ryodoraku. Results: Seventeen professionals participated in the study. The EEP results show high levels of stress before the intervention. The mixed linear model showed evidence of interaction between groups (p<0.001) and stress reduction in the acupuncture (p=0.07) and acutone (p=0.003) groups, remaining reduced at follow-up. Ryodoraku graphs confirm evidence of interaction and some analyzes corroborate PBS scores after the intervention. Conclusion: The effects of acutone are not inferior to those of acupuncture in reducing perceived stress in nursing professionals.